Which goose/duck gun do I get?

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andyt

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I live in Wisconsin (sometimes brutal conditions) and waterfowl hunt quite a bit. Most is field huntings and sometimes over small potholes. I need an auto of course and have it hopefully narrowed down to four. Let me know which one you all recommend

Benelli Super Black Eagle II

Winchester Super X II/III

Browning Goldhunter

Beretta Xtrema2

Thanks for the help! And any other suggestions are welcome

Andy
 
I'd be inclined to get the Beretta Xtrema2 or the Super X2. I seriously doubt you could go wrong with either one. See which one fits and feels better.
 
I'd worry more about the load than the platform. Try Federal Tungsten-Iron. It kills WAY up there on big, heavy birds. I hear a lot of good about Remington Heavy shot, but the Federal is 7 bucks a box cheaper and works fantastic, better than I ever remember lead working. I'm a po boy, shoot a Mossberg 500 with 3" chamber and it works. All your choices are high end guns and I can't imagine any of 'em being poor.
 
I was heavy into waterfowl hunting a few years ago. Tried everything, a couple autos, a pump and a sxs. I finally ended up with a Browning Citori.

Never any functioning problems, and if a big flock is coming in, put two extra rounds between the fingers of your weak hand. With practice, you can get four shots off about as fast as the others can get off three.

Anyway, most of the time the third shot is a prayer, but once in a while #3 and #4 come in handy.
 
I have owned and hunted hard in WI with all but the Xtrema. I would not recommend the SBE, not reliable. The Browning Gold is a good shotgun, a little sensitive to cleanliness for a gun that hunts hard for a couple days before it gets decent treatment. My Gold 3.5 is a really good shotgun, had I not bought the SuperX2 I would have thought it the best. My SX2 is awesome, runs everything from light 2 3/4" loads through the nastiest 3.5" mags you can find, FLAWLESSLY. You can use it for a pushpole, and then hunt with it. It just flat runs, and it fits me really well so the ducks fall.

The Gold and the X2 NEED oil on the bolt rails. If either has a fault it is that they won't run dry. Mobil 1 15w-50 is great on both down to about -15*f, and costs less than $5 per quart.

The Xtrema was next on my list but I see no reason to try it when my X2 is soooo good, especially not for another $400 more. The early ones had problems with regulation, but that seems to be worked out now for a couple years. The rubber inserts in the stocks seem like a good idea too.
 
I'd agree with all the guys above. Find a platform you like and can afford (prices vary widely, performance doesn't as much.) Load right and shoot right. Practice with any gun makes one more comfortable than anything else. I'm a Wisconsonite too and used the same lousy bolt action 16ga. most of my life. Killed lots of birds with it after some practice. Before that I was spoiled with an old 12ga. Winnie of my Dad's. The right load and practice made the difference in long range success. The gun can only do so much, the rest is up to you, so buy accordingly.

TC
 
My used SX-2 Waterfowl ran perfectly this duck season. According to a post on another board, Winchester customer service says the SX-3's won't be out until October.

John
 
my dedicated waterfowl hardware is a Winchester SX2.
3 seasons and zero problems. I have used it to bust ducks and geese in North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Illinois, and Arkansas. 3" hevi-shot medicine for everything but the occaisional swatter.
 
The SX2 and Browning Gold are basically the same gun. I run my Gold dry in cold weather, and have had no problems with it at all. I wouldn't hesitate to buy a Beretta if it fits better, but will not own a Benelli.
 
Big fan of the Browing Gold here.

Mine is a 3" gun.

Have easily 10-20,000 trap rounds through it and have hunted it for 4 seasons now. Gun has NEVER failed to perform.

My best friend has a new SBE II and it failed to eject a couple of times on Trap loads. Still seems like a pretty decent gun though.

I do like the Winchester X2 also. Basically the same gun as the Gold.
 
In brutal conditions, the Benelli. Extra recoil won't matter through a lot of clothing, but the reliable action will be a godsend.

Reputed to stand up to a lot of heavy loads and require no more cleaning than a pump.

We don't have brutal conditions here, though my feet got really cold last Winter in rubber boots. I'll have to wear better socks.:cool:
 
Larry Ashcraft said:
I was heavy into waterfowl hunting a few years ago. Tried everything, a couple autos, a pump and a sxs. I finally ended up with a Browning Citori.

Never any functioning problems, and if a big flock is coming in, put two extra rounds between the fingers of your weak hand. With practice, you can get four shots off about as fast as the others can get off three.

Anyway, most of the time the third shot is a prayer, but once in a while #3 and #4 come in handy.
Click to expand...

I ruined a nice looking side by side in the marshes, banging around in the bottom of boats, getting salt water on it. I bought my mossy BECAUSE it was cheap and effective. :D I have used that third shot effectively, especially when I knock one down and another one flies in before I've gotten to my shell bag. Also I find a repeater easier to top up than a double. I used to be a huge double fan, but I've converted for serious hunting. Actually I prefer an auto chucker, just don't wanna spend a lot of money on a waterfowl gun and have it looking like that old double in a decade or less. the Mossy has a couple of rust spots on it, but you can't really tell it unless you look close due to the camo finish. That's sorta cool. It also hides some of the dings and scratches on the stock. I can't tell ya how many times I've bogged down in the muck of a pot hole and the stock on that gun wound up keeping me semi-errect as I fell to my knees. :rolleyes: The hazards of duck hunting I suppose.

Oh, BTW, if you're going for a fourth shot, you better hope you don't get checked by a game warden. That's federal law, too.
 
Another option: two 870 Express 12 Gauges.

There's a three-shot limit, but there's no one-gun limit.

Put on a good recoil pad, keep 'em oiled, and shoot 'em 'til they rust through.
 
ArmedBear said:
In brutal conditions, the Benelli. Extra recoil won't matter through a lot of clothing, but the reliable action will be a godsend.

Reputed to stand up to a lot of heavy loads and require no more cleaning than a pump.

We don't have brutal conditions here, though my feet got really cold last Winter in rubber boots. I'll have to wear better socks.:cool:
Click to expand...

Get neoprene stocking foot waders. I've got a set of 3mm and a set of 5mm when the blue norther is here. :D Man, you talk about WARM! Only problem I have is when it starts to warm after I've picked up the dekes and I have to trudge back to the truck sweatin' my bottom off. ROFLMAO! They're also kind of a pain when nature calls in the field. But, hey, all your parts are warm in 'em! Heck, I've wade fished and duck hunted in 'em comfortably when I had to stomp my way through ice to walk.
 
Larry Ashcraft said:
Four shots out of an o/u is illegal? Are you sure?
Click to expand...

I think you are limited to three barrels, but you can reload as much as you want.:)

There seriously are guys here who have bent steel rod racks that stick in the dirt so they can have several loaded guns ready in the blind, though. And that's legal, AFAIK.
 
Either the Beretta or Benelli. They are basically the same: high quality inertia guns. The other shotguns do not even compare.
 
Kenny, the Beretta is a gas gun.

RotR, no Benelli probably becuase he has owned them (like me) or hunts with guys that own them and see the lack of reliability.
 
It all depends on whether you will use it just for hunting, the thickness of your wallet, and how tough you are. If you would also use this gun for other fun, such as sporting clays, I think the Beretta would be your best bet. I’m sure this link has been posted before, but watch this video of the Xtrema2 in action and see if you are impressed. I have wanted one ever since I saw how fast those things could fire. They all seem to run in a similar price range depending on how ‘pimped out’ you get them, but for the cheapest stripped down model, I believe Winchester wins (about $900). If you think you’re a tough guy the Browning is the only one that comes in 10GA. A day of shooting magnum goose shells out of this baby is not for the timid, but if your shoulder is strong and you can afford the ammo (if you can buy the gun I guess that’s not a problem), nothing beats a 10GA at dropping big birds.

http://media.putfile.com/Xtrema2-Shotgun
 
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